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i don't know if there's a better way to give directions on maps, but i'm using left, right, near, far relative to the starting viewpoint on the map. so the spawn location is close to the near left corner of the map. also, this is for tactics for the first mission, so no rockets or run+gun.

anyways : i find that it is tempting to go for the truck, then around left wall, but this usually results in disaster. the left wall is only 1/2 cover after a point and so doesn't hide or protect well, so you can't use it to flank. the middle is relatively unprotected for a direct assault, those brick walls usually are destroyed pretty quick, and breaking into the middle triggers all the alien groups.

this leaves creeping along the near edge to the right edge, and following that wall to the door that's about 2/3rds of the way down. it's nigh impossible to make it past that door without triggering a group, so that's where i usually start.

after that, it really depends on the alien groups that i encounter. sometimes around the far side, sometimes i enter the cemetery directly.

I actually had this mission twice, once for a first Ironman Classic mission, and another time later in the game by the time Mutons had arrived.

Each time I employed essentially the same tactics, I staged my men around the left (when facing it) front wall of the cemetary, one at the corner near the steps, the others beside the gate, one at the half cover in the middle. Next turn, I ran that guy in to the nearest full cover tomb stone which was close enough to not have to dash. This woke up some Sectoids (in the first mission one) and I kind of played it from there. I brought that guy straight back and overwatched the other three. The Sectoids did the ole predictable "let's mind merge one of our guys!" thing, brought him forward, and he ate up some overwatch bullets. Chances are one of the three guys on overwatch will probably get him, and if they don't, you should have all your men in full cover anyway. It's the first mission, you need to roll the dice a bit. If he isn't dead, chances are he's camped out close enough to your guys that they can all take shots at him.

I wouldn't even bother to attempt going up the sides. Just probe forward from the full cover at the gate and entrance of the place to the full cover tomb stones for recon and such. When you take out the first pack of Sectoids, the chances are the other is probably in the far corner, so you can advance cautiously towards the cover in the top left (I think it's a little cabin thing) for a bit of a better chance at flanking while bringing your other lads to the far side of the cemetary's front wall, then advancing them upwards towards the back right through the full cover tomb stones again.

Although I originally said this thread was for first mission only, I just wanted to mention that recently I got this map on an early mission but with a squad sight sniper. What I did was put that sniper on the near edge of the map, outside of any LOS (in no cover.) I put two others on the edges of the truck to cover him, and then the last behind one of the bits of full wall cover near that. I poke that last guy in to sight aliens, switch to the sniper to pick them off, and then pull the spotter back. It makes this level pretty easy.

This tactic works for a lot of the open air maps -- squad sight has to be the best ability by far, imho.

This map is pretty exposed and my men were at high risk of getting killed during the early game on classic. Despite the poor half covers at the top, the stairs is the only way for you to get close enough to the alien or two hiding behind the tombstone at the rear next to the small room without exposing your men to too great a risk (like hiding behind the gravestones which are easily flanked by the enemy). Killing them would make the mission much easier because you'll have almost unchallenged elevation advantage over subsequent alien groups that try to approach the room from further away.

To improve my chances, I moved my sniper up the stairs and hunkered down. I also used my support to provide smoke grenade cover to further improve protection. I also escorted my sniper with an assault guy to eliminate enemies that get too close. My goal was to move all my men to the safety of the small room where there's reasonably good cover.

The half covers at the top of the stairs easily got destroyed but not before my sniper picked off some sectoids. Then I moved him to another half cover and hunkered down. Repeat same thing. The elevation bonus helped a lot. Once my assault and support guys were within grenade range of the "rear" aliens next to the room, I took them out. All throughout this time, my heavy stayed at the full cover wall closest to the staircase leading up to the small room so he will have clear LOS on any groups of aliens that try to flank my group. Once, a new group of sectoids appeared that were out of reasonable accuracy range of my other men, and my heavy rocketed them. After most of the aliens were down, I reunited the heavy with the other men, went through the small room and hunted down the remaining two sectoids. Unfortunately, the close distance with the enemy near the room caused one of my men to be gravely wounded, but the mission was a success nonetheless.